Battery
by Setsuna-X
Summary: Okumura notices a new person hanging around Sawamura-senpai and has questions. ##TAGS## Act 2, One-sided Okumura/Sawamura, One-sided Miyusawa, Established Relationship: Chris/Sawamura, Light Angst##


Okumura had first decided to join Seido on a whim. A calculated whim. He had seen Sawamura Eijun's pitching and instantly felt a connection. He really wanted to catch for him.

He wasn't disappointed. If anything he revelled in working with his new senpai. The only problem was that he didn't feel he was experienced enough to make the most of Sawamura-senpai's talent and skill. It was something he hated to admit, but he would rather not catch than catch inadequately. He didn't want to make Sawamura-senpai feel as if he wasn't pitching well.

Pitchers were _delicate._

So he stepped aside, working in the second string in the hopes to someday be Sawamura's catcher. He just hated that Miyuki Kazuya was Sawamura-senpai's current battery partner.

Although Sawamura-senpai was a loud-mouth and his personality off the mound had a lot to be desired, Okumura couldn't keep his eyes off of him.

That's what led him to Seido and what made him want to try harder than ever, even if it meant getting tips and guidance from Miyuki Kazuya.

Okumura just hadn't known there was another rival to look out for.

Ono was another catcher on the team but he mostly worked with Nori-senpai and of course the other first year Yui that made it on the first string was competition, but Okumura could tell that he was more interested in Furuya-senpai's pitching. It wasn't that Furuya wasn't an interesting pitcher, a powerhouse in his own right, but he just wasn't as interesting as Sawamura-senpai.

No, the true rival appeared out of the blue like a strike of lightning one day.

"Who's that talking to Sawamura-senpai?" Okumura asked Haruichi. The pink-haired boy seemed to be Sawamura-senpai's closest friend. Okumura could tell that Seto was hovering around as always, listening.

Haruichi looked around and saw who Okumura-kun was talking about.

Eijun-kun and Chris-senpai seemed to be having a lively discussion. Eijun's eyes brightened as he laughed openly and waved his arms around. Chris-senpai's eyes looked fond as he looked on, a small smile on his lips.

"Oh, that's Chris-senpai. He was a third-year while that graduation last year."

Okumura's eyes narrowed in a slight glare.

"And his position?" Okumura asked, trying to ignore the twist in his stomach as he looked on. Sawamura-senpai usually had a large grin on his face, but it never looked as geniuine as it currently did.

Haruichi answered with a slight smirk. "Catcher."

And just like that, it felt like a punch to the gut. His eyes narrowed in earnest as his fighting aura exploded out of him. He could hear Seto trying to call him down but he didn't care. That Chris was another catcher, another rival to joining a battery with Sawamura-senpai.

He looked on as Sawamura-senpai and Chris walked over to the coach. At a whim he looked around for Miyuki-senpai and noticed that the other catcher, although surrounded by what could only be other past third years, had his eyes set on Chris and Sawamura-senpai as well with an unreadable expression in his eyes.

"Yes, Boss!" Sawamura's shout cut across the parking lot. Chris looked at him fondly and shared a look with the coach as if to say 'some things never change'.

Soon Sawamura-senpai and Chris left together, ignoring the bus.

Okumura moved as if to stop them but they were already walking away. He could feel Seto's arm on his shoulder holding him in place. Soon they were called to enter the bus to head back to Seido.

Okumura wasn't usually so vocal but something about the scene before was gnawing at him. Before they could pull away from the parking lot he spoke up. "What about Sawamura-senpai? He hasn't boarded yet." Everyone turned to look at him. He normally hated the attention but he didn't care at the moment.

Kuramouchi-senpai was the first to answer. "He'll make it back. Chris-senpai is very reliable, kya hya," he said as he elbowed Miyuki. Everyone nodded and smiled in agreement. Miyuki grumbled and looked out the window, his face in a displeased frown.

Once they made it back to Seido Okumura cornered Miyuki. It wasn't easy since the Captain had many duties to attend to and Seto was hard to shake off, but he managed it.

"Who is Chris to Sawamura-senpai?" he asked bluntly.

Miyuki's expression would normally please him. He looked slack-jawed and caught off guard while his eyes revealed much emotion. "Why do you want to know?" he asked instead of replying.

Something sharp twisted in his belly. He didn't _like_ how Sawamura-senpai looked at this Chris guy. He wanted to be the only one the Pitcher focused on. He wanted that acknowledgement, the camaraderie, the attention - but he wasn't about to reveal this to Miyuki of all people.

"They seemed close," Okumura replied with instead. Miyuki let out a soft self-deprecating chuckle and purposely looked away.

"Ah, yeah they are. Very close."

"I heard they were battery partners. Why are they still meeting?" Okumura demanded. He _needed_ to know.

Miyuki looked uncomfortable for a moment, as if gathering his thoughts. "Yeah," he slowly agreed. "Chris-senpai was the one that taught Sawamura what baseball really meant and how to hone his special skill that helped set him apart from Furuya and Nori-senpai."

Okumura could feel the knife twist more sharply in his stomach. He wanted to know and didn't want to know at the same time.

"But he graduated.." he probed.

Miyuki let out an obviously deep sigh. "They're still a battery. Chris-senpai is in University but he always makes time for Sawamura.

Just then they both saw movement out of the corner of their eyes. If they hadn't been standing by the gate at that exact moment they would have missed it. Sawamura and Chris passed through the entrance threshold, letting their hands slip out of eachothers grip. They both sported indulgent and pleased smiles, Sawamura's eyes full of happiness and Chris' with fondness. Neither of them noticed that they had been spotted, away in their own little world. They spoke softly to one another and Sawamura launched himself into Chris's arms as they said their farewells and parted.

"Like I said: very close," commented Miyuki darkly as his eyes trailed after Sawamura as the pitcher skipped away toward his dorm.

The knife finally connected and stabbed him through. Okumura couldn't identify his shifting emotions, all he knew was that he didn't like seeing Chris and Sawamura-senpai together. His hand clenched into a fist. "I'll beat him," he mumbled but Miyuki caught the words.

Miyuki's laugh was forced. "Good luck, I have been trying to beat him for a year now.

He looked over at Miyuki and felt his resolve crumble. He vowed to beat Chris and win Sawamura-senpai's attention to himself, but he knew it wasn't going to be easy.

++

That night Okumura went to bed, resolve on his mind and Sawamura-senpai's smile in his heart.

**THE END**


End file.
